The Great Green North

Eco-Images and the Canadian Environmental Movement

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:52:00 +0000

The Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society "is an international, interdisciplinary center for research and education in the environmental humanities and social sciences" based out of Munich, Germany. Among its regular activities is the publication of the Perspectives series. A recent edition of this journal published my article, "Advertising the Environmental Movement: Vickers and Benson's Branding of Pollution Probe." You can read it, along with a number of other fine essays on the topic of "Eco-Images," here.

Thanks again to all those who commented on various drafts of this paper, and Gisela Parak, who edited this particular volume.

Brothers and Sisters of Cornleius Howatt Gathering

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 20:31:00 +0000

If you're an enthusiast for Prince Edward Island history, you've likely heard of the Brothers and Sisters of Cornelius Howatt. (If you're not familiar with the group, I wrote an op-ed about the organization, and their namesake, that you can read here.) This year marks the fortieth anniversary since the Brothers and Sisters waged their year-long campaign to address major issues affecting Island society. In order to mark the occasion, former members and supporters of the group will be gathering on August 8th. Founders Harry Baglole and David Weale will be present, and I'll be giving a talk titled "The Pie-Faced Kid at 40: The Legacy of the Brothers and Sisters of Cornelius Howatt." This being a celebration, there will also be music. (I've been told that both Roy Johnstone and Allan Rankin will be performing, but don't quote me on that.)

Stories will be shared, and hopefully some photographs and memorabilia will surface. If you're in the Charlottetown area on August 8th, do stop by the Irish Cultural Centre and join in the fun. There is no admission charge, and the event begins at 7:30 PM.

A New Clayoquot Summer?

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:37:00 +0000

The battle to protect Clayoquot Sound, the old growth rain forest on Vancouver Island, was one of the defining campaigns of the Canadian environmental movement during the early 1990s. Thousands participated in protests to halt clearcut logging in the area, all the while launching a new generation of environmental leadership within this country. (One of these figures was Tzeporah Berman, whose memoirs are discussed elsewhere on this site.) After environmentalists won major concessions to protect the area, Clayoquot Sound more or less faded from the public consciousness.

A recent story in the Globe and Mail reveals renewed concern for the area's ecological integrity. Continued logging, fish farming, and the threat of mining on Catface Mountain have led Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck, veterans of the earlier protests, to form Clayoquot Action. Described on their website as "a frontline conservation organization committed to peacefully protecting the biocultural diversity of Clayoquot Sound," they aim to take on Imperial Metals, which has acquired mineral rights to the area.

Lewis and Glambeck suggest that they have no plans to orchestrate the massive protests that characterize the earlier campaign. As Berman's book demonstrates, the activists learned a great deal about working behind the scenes during the nineties. Protests are great at showing that people care, she notes, but without carefully defined objectives such activities can result in little progress. Likewise, Berman also notes the importance of forging alliances and finding common ground with other interests in order to make gains. In short, a cause such as this requires not just passion and idealism, but also a healthy dose of pragmatism.

Clayoquot Sound is an irreplaceable environmental treasure. It will be interesting to see how much Lewis and Glambeck's work will be informed by the earlier campaign.

Review of John Turner biography

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:40:00 +0000

My review of Paul Litt's Elusive Destiny: The Political Vocation of John Napier Turner can be found in the latest edition of the Journal of Historical Biography. You can read it by clicking here.

New Journal Article About "The Air of Death"

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +0000

My article, "An Ecological Call to Arms: The Air of Death and the Origins of Environmental Activism in Ontario," was published in the Spring 2013 edition of Ontario History. You can read the article by clicking here.

"Pollution Probe and the Not-So-Secret Beginnings of Environmental Activism in Ontario" lecture at Trent University - April 18

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:10:00 +0000

I'm delivering a public lecture titled "Pollution Probe and the Not-So-Secret Beginnings of Environmental Activism in Ontario" on Thursday, April 18 at 7pm. The lecture will occur at Bagnani Hall, Traill College (Trent University) in Peterborough. For more information, please check out the poster or send me an email.

All are welcome!

Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain paper at the ASEH 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:41:00 +0000

This past week I had the opportunity to present at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Environmental History. My panel, "Transnational Environmentalism and the Creation of a Canadian Movement," featured four papers. The papers, in order of presentation, were:

Henry Trim, University of British Columbia

"Expert Advice: Environmentalism and Canadian Energy Policy"

Ryan O'Connor, Trent University

"Regional Fissures and International Interests: Building Support for the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain, 1981-1990"

Mark Leeming, Dalhousie University

"Friends in Far Places: Cape Breton's Herbicide Trial"

Jonathan Clapperton, University of Saskatchewan

"Reconsidering Indigenous Environmentalism: Culture, Nature, and Ecological Stewardship on the Northwest Pacific Coast"

I'd like to thank all those who came out to hear our panel. A special thanks goes out to Michael Egan for expertly chairing the panel and for sharing his keen insights.

New Course Offering: Canada in the 1960s at the University of Prince Edward Island

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:09:00 +0000

I'll be teaching History 309A: Canada in the 1960s at the University of Prince Edward Island July-August 2013. Information about the course can be found on the nifty poster designed by my buddy, Cory Gavin. Additional questions about the course can be sent to me.

Registration is now open.

The Canadian Environmental Movement roundtable on Nature's Past podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:19:00 +0000

Back in November I participated in a round table discussion about the history of the Canadian environmental movement. The round table was recorded and broadcast as episode 34 of Sean Kheraj's "Nature's Past" podcast. If you're interested in listening you can find it online here.

Thanks go out to Sean for his work putting this together, as well as my fellow participants Jonathan Clapperton, Mark McLaughlin, and Frank Zelko for the interesting thoughts. We should do this again sometime!

Review of Tzeporah Berman's This Crazy Time

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:42:00 +0000

My review of Tzeporah Berman's memoir, This Crazy Time: Living Our Environmental Challenge, is now posted on the BC Studies website. You can check it out here.

History of Canadian Environmentalism Roundtable

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 04:47:00 +0000

Today I participated in a roundtable discussion about the history of Canadian environmentalism, moderated by Sean Kheraj. Also participating were Frank Zelko, Jon Clapperton, and Mark McLaughlin. You'll be able to hear our conversation on the Nature's Past podcast sometime next week. I'll be sure to post a link when it becomes available.

Special thanks to Sean for including me in this discussion. It was definitely interesting to hear the perspective of other historians working on the subject.

Nyle Ludolph and the Blue Box

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Recently I've been working on a book chapter about the origins of the blue box. I conducted a lot of research on this topic while working on my PhD dissertation. As part of my research I interviewed a number of people that worked for the Is Five Foundation, Resource Integration Services, and the Recycling Council of Ontario. I also interviewed Nyle Ludolph. Ludolph was the director of special projects at Superior Sanitation. In 1977 he was invited to give a speech at Garbage Fest 77, a day-long event organized by the Kitchener-Waterloo affiliate of Pollution Probe. Prior to this event he cared little for recycling. However, the day spent in the company of recycling advocates had a transformative effect upon him. As he told me,

My conscience got a hold of me and I said ‘I’m going to try this.’ I went home that day and dug up a hole in the backyard for compost, and I put boxes at the side door in the garage and I said to the family ‘We’re going to test this recycling thing.’ Consequently, we … only generated 102 lbs of garbage for the entire year.

This amazed Ludolph, as the average family of three would normally generate a ton of garbage annually. Ludolph brought this up with his boss, Ron Murray, president of Laidlaw Waste Systems, and subsequently played an important role in convincing Murray that the company should get into the business of recycling. A partnership was established between Laidlaw and Resource Integration Services, resulting in the creation of the blue box that is used throughout Ontario and around the world.

While doing some research for my book chapter I came across the fact that Ludolph passed away on October 14, 2011. He was a very interesting man, and everybody I spoke to regarding the blue box spoke about him in glowing terms.

For more information on Ludolph and his role in the creation of the blue box, you can check out the following stories.

Davis, "Nyle Ludolph was 'father of the blue box," Waterloo Region Record, 16 October 2011

MacKay, "Nyle Ludolph thought inside the blue box," Globe and Mail, 14 November 2011

CBC Mainstreet Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:21:00 +0000

I recorded an interview with CBC Mainstreet regarding the history of twentieth century protest on Prince Edward Island. You can hear the interview here. Many thanks to Karen Mair for inviting me to appear on the program.

Letter to the Editor regarding Plan B Highway Development

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:23:00 +0000

My letter opposing the construction of the Plan B highway development was published in today's edition of The Guardian (Prince Edward Island). You can read it here. For more information on this wrong-minded project check out this website. You can also join the opposition to Plan B on Facebook here and here.

Media coverage of Canadian environmental movement history workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 04:14:00 +0000

Here's a story about the recent workshop from the Trent Daily News.

And here is an interview workshop participant Owen Temby conducted with CBC Sudbury regarding his and Don Munton's research on local smelter pollution.

Clapperton on "Historicizing the Great Green North"

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:40:00 +0000

You can read Jon Clapperton's take on the Canadian environmental movement history workshop by following this link. Jon does a great job of succinctly addressing some of the key themes that came out of our event.

Reflecting on the Canadian Environmental Movement History Workshop at Trent University

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:40:00 +0000

As some of you may know, Stephen Bocking and I have been preparing to host a workshop on the history of the Canadian environmental movement for several months. After many hours of preparation, the event occurred this past Monday and Tuesday at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario.

We managed to cover a lot of ground in two days. Fourteen scholars, coming from as far away as Halifax, Nova Scotia and Vancouver, British Columbia, discussed eleven papers. These papers were distributed in advance, so rather than introducing the topics we were able to focus our energy on coming up with ways to improve them for publication. We had a great mix of scholars and subjects. There were a few senior scholars - Don Munton, Robert Paehlke, Doug Macdonald, and Jean-Guy Vaillancourt - who have been studying environmentalism since the 1970s and 1980s. There were some mid-career scholars, such as Matthew Hatvany and George Warecki. Younger scholars were also present, with a number or participants either in the final stages of their doctoral studies or holding postdoctoral fellowships. While most were historians, other participants came from backgrounds in geography, political science, religious studies, sociology, and environmental studies.

Lessons and observations from the workshop:

I live-tweeted the event. Within an hour of mentioning a paper by Don Munton and Owen Temby on air pollution in Sudbury, Ontario and Trail, British Columbia, staff at CBC Sudbury contacted me about interviewing them. The interview was taped the following day, and is scheduled for radio broadcast on Wednesday, August 29th. (I will provide a link to this interview when it is posted online.) This is all the evidence I need that Twitter is a valuable resource. That said, the only workshop participants that use it are Stephen Bocking (@BockingStephen) and I (@ryaneoconnor).
Gathering a small group of scholars to focus on papers on a single subject, with the collective aim of producing an edited collection was far more rewarding than any conference I have attended. This is not meant as a slight towards conferences, but rather a commendation of small, highly-focussed events. I suspect my fellow participants will agree with me on this.
A two day workshop requires a lot of organization and coordination. That said, things are infinitely more manageable when you have secured the necessary funding to bring people together and hold the event. In this respect, I would like to acknowledge the generous funding provided by the Network in Canadian History & Environment [NiCHE].

Now that the workshop is over, the focus will shift to revising the papers for publication as an edited collection. This book, tentatively titled The Great Green North, will be the first collection on the history of Canada's environmental movement. Needless to say, all of the participants are excited about breaking new ground. We hope to get this book out in the first half of 2014. In the meantime, much work will go into editing and revising the papers, highlighting the key themes, and preparing visual aids and other supplementary materials.

Finally, here is a question for you, the potential reader. There was some discussion of including a preface written by a well-known, non-academic, environmentalist. As a result of my research I happen to know a number of prime candidates for this, and no doubt my colleagues will have a number of suggestions. What are your thoughts on this? Would this add to the overall project, or would it be an unnecessary distraction?

There will be a few more perspectives of this workshop published in the coming days. Pauline Harder is writing a story for the Trent University Daily News, while Jonathan Clapperton is submitting a post about his experience to the NiCHE website. I will add links to these stories as they become available.

Active History Post

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 19:20:00 +0000

In case you didn't see it upon publication on August 13, I have a new post on the Active History blog. The article is called "Reunions as an Oral History Source" and was inspired by my recent attendance of a back-to-the-land gathering on Prince Edward Island. You can read it here.

Works in Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:42:00 +0000

This has been a busy summer, and there are no signs of it slowing down. In May and June I had the opportunity to teach a course on Canadian Environmental History at Trent University. Since then, I've been focussing on a number of writing projects. I'm currently working on a book chapter that examines the creation of the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain, as well as the challenges it faced in maintaining its broad-based support. I am also working on chapters that explore the countercultural environmentalism of Toronto's Is Five Foundation, which was responsible for bringing recycling to the masses in Ontario, the role Vickers and Benson's advertising played in first wave environmental activism in Canada, and the importance of "place" in the development of the Toronto environmental community.

In other news, I've been named an Associate Member of the Research Centre for Environmental History and Policy at the University of Sterling (Scotland).

And with that update, it is time to return to writing ....

Call for Interviews: Prince Edward Island Back-to-the-Land Reunion

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:49:00 +0000

As previously noted in this blog, members of the Prince Edward Island back-to-the-land community will be reuniting for a weekend of festivities this August. Given our established interest in this rather fascinating group - as evidenced by our "Back to the Island" digital exhibit - Alan MacEachern and I will be in attendance. If you're going to be there and may be interested in sharing your story, please see the above advertisement. Should be a great experience!

For more on the reunion, click here.

"Who Is A Founder?"

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:59:00 +0000

I contributed a blog entry, "Who Is A Founder? A Look at the Origins of the Canadian Environmental Movement," that appears on the Active History website today. You can read it by clicking here.

Environmental History - CAST-ERST-HIST 4670 - at Trent University

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:09:00 +0000

This summer I'll be teaching Environmental History (CAST-ERST-HIST 4670) at Trent University in Peterborough. This course is a fourth year seminar, and is worth credit in Canadian Studies, Environmental and Resources Studies, and History. Click on the above poster for more details, or email me at ryanoconnor@trentu.ca if you have questions.

Many thanks to my graphic designer friend Cory Gavin for putting the poster together. You can check out some of his other work here.

PEI Back-to-the-Land Reunion

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:34:00 +0000

Members of Prince Edward Island's back-to-the-land community are holding a reunion this summer. The organizers are putting the final touches on specific details, but the dates (August 3-5) and place (Mount Vernon) have been finalized. If you'd like more information you can check out the event website and the associated Facebook page.

In 2009 Alan MacEachern and I launched a digital exhibit dedicated to the Island's back-to-the-land community. (You can check it out here.) I've spoken to the reunion's organizers and we've received permission to attend. Hopefully we'll be able to collect some more great stories about this fascinating aspect of the province's history.

Out of the Bag, Into the Box: The Adventures of Blue Box Man

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:33:00 +0000

In 2005 the City of Hamilton's Waste Management Division developed a series of commercials featuring "Blue Box Man." These comical ads, which featured the slogan "Out of the Bag, Into the Box," were designed to increase recycling participation rates in the city. These commercials are still available for your viewing pleasure, thanks to the power of YouTube. Do yourself a favour and enjoy the following short clips ... you might even gain some insight into the "dos and don'ts" of recycling.

Kitchen Recycling:

Bathroom Recycling:

Bedroom Recycling:

Laundry Room Recycling:

Reading Around the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:35:00 +0000

A short article of mine, "The Changing Place of Foxes on Prince Edward Island," is now available for your reading pleasure at the Active History website. Take a look at this post and please feel free to leave a comment. I should note that I went looking for but never found the fox mentioned in the last paragraph. In my mind he is still scampering about Prince Edward Island, none the worse for wear.)

Over at The Atlantic there is a very interesting article about the changing membership composition of Earth First! "The Radicals: How Extreme Environmentalists Are Made" may not make any references to the Canadian environmental movement, but it does show how members of a movement can grow increasingly radical with each passing generation.